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Police in Berlin disrupted and canceled a pro-Palestinian convention shortly after it started, with one of many key audio system talking simply hours after authorities detained him on the airport and prevented him from getting into Germany.
Authorities initially stopped the Palestine Congress as a result of one other speaker was topic to a ban on political exercise in Germany, police wrote on the social media platform X on Friday.
Police didn’t reveal the title of the speaker, however congress members wrote on Twitter that it was Palestinian researcher Salman Abu Sitta.
Police later wrote on Twitter that that they had banned the rest of the convention, which was being attended by about 250 individuals and was scheduled to final by Sunday.
He stated there have been dangers that the identical speaker can be invited to talk once more, accusing him of creating “anti-Semitic” statements previously.
Berlin police cancel your complete Palestine Congress. I used to be the one speaker who completed his speech efficiently.
After 1 minute, Salman Abu Sitta's voice was lower off. Our livestream ended and the ability went out.
That is Germany. pic.twitter.com/07NUCPownv
– Hebh Jamal (@hebh_jamal) 12 April 2024
On the congress's web site, organizers condemned Israel's crimes in Gaza, saying: “Along with the voices of the Palestinian motion and the worldwide group, we are going to condemn Israeli apartheid and genocide. We accuse Germany of being concerned on this.”
Berlin police stated that they had dispatched 930 officers, together with reinforcements from different areas of Germany, to guard the occasion.
'Silencing a witness'
One of many keynote audio system, Ghassan Abu Sittah, a British Palestinian physician, had beforehand been denied entry to Germany to attend the occasion, he stated.
“The German authorities has forcibly blocked me from getting into the nation,” Abu Sita posted on Twitter.
The physician, who volunteered in Gaza hospitals throughout the first weeks of Israel's warfare, stated he arrived at Berlin airport on Friday morning earlier than being stopped at passport management, the place he was held for a number of hours after which It was introduced that he must return to the UK.
Airport police stated they have been refused entry due to “the protection of individuals on the convention and public order”, Abu Sitta instructed the Related Press.
“There’s completely no authorized foundation for this, no justification,” Nadija Samour, an occasion organizer, instructed Turkey's state-run Anadolu Company. (Abu) Sita is the Dean of the College of Glasgow. I can't even think about that he’s a harmful individual or somebody who incites violence. Fairly the opposite.”
Abu Sitta stated on
Invited to deal with a convention in Berlin about my work in Gaza hospitals throughout the present battle.
The German authorities has forcibly barred me from getting into the nation
Silencing a witness to the genocide earlier than the ICJ hyperlinks Germany's complicity in ongoing genocide.– Ghassan Abu Sittat (@GhassanAbuSitt1) 12 April 2024
In a case introduced by Nicaragua to the UN's high courtroom, Germany is accused of aiding genocide in Gaza by promoting arms to Israel, whose warfare has killed greater than 33,600 individuals since October 7.
Germany is one in every of Israel's largest army suppliers, sending 326.5 million euros ($353.7m) of kit and weapons in 2023, in keeping with Economic system Ministry knowledge.
'Authorities strain'
Organizer Samur instructed Anadolu that there was “strain from the federal authorities” to cancel the Palestine Congress, including that Germany was “actively and illegally” making an attempt to hinder the occasion.
He additionally accused Berlin of intentionally delaying the beginning of the congress by citing technical causes.
“Congress couldn’t be banned. Freedom of meeting protects the Congress, which is why the police faces every kind of harassment,'' he stated.
Crowds ready to enter the corridor on Friday chanted slogans together with “Viva, Viva Palestine” and “Germany finance, Israel bomb”. Some individuals waved Palestinian flags exterior the constructing.
Police in Berlin have taken a typically robust stance in the direction of pro-Palestinian protests because the starting of the warfare in Gaza. Authorities have imposed strict circumstances on demonstrations or banned them altogether.
Protesters and critics have accused authorities of violating democratic freedoms of speech and meeting with the crackdown.